Water kite



H. L. GROSS WATER KITE June 12, 1951 Filed April 26, 1949 glncnturHERBERT L. GROSS.

Patented June l2, 1951 WATER KITE Herbert L. Gross, Parkton, Md.

Application April 26, 1949, Serial No. 89,617

4 Claims.

This `invention relates to fishing tackle and equipment and especiallyto that employed for trolling or casting; Further it pertains to the useof a kite or sail on a shing line, for the purpose of guiding the hookand bait through a predetermined course in the water.

The conventional fishing line employing a kite or sail is characterizedin its travel through water by erratic movements that are not capable ofbeing controlled This is particularly objectionable where severalshermen are iishing from a boat close to one another as the environmentwill permit, with their lines tending to entangle with one another.Where the fishing is done from a moving marine Vessel, the generaltendency for the fishing lines is to follow the vessel directly behindand thereby placing the fisherman and the boat in the line of vision ofthe iish. In this` invention, a kite 01 sail is atached to the shingline t travel in the water, and is of a form that permits the line to beguided in any direction or Vdepth selected by the fisherman. The kite isadjusted, by the manner in which the lineis attached and weighted withsinkers or by the attachment of a oat for the purpose. The kite or sailis preferably of an arcuate form With the concave face upwards and theloops for tieing it to the line, on the convex face. In this manner, thesail and kite will normally travel through the water with the convexface downwardly disposed and d0 so without twisting, which is auniversal fault of other types of kites conventionally used. To increasethe field of adjustability, the attaching loops are located variouslyover the whole area of the kite so that attachment is made possiblebythe main fishing line, the sinker and hook lines to it in a number ofdivers combination arrangements. i

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved kite orsail for a iishing line, that will avoid one or more of thedisadvantages and limitations of the prior art. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved kitefor a fishing line that can be tied into the line, hook and sinker, in amanner that will permit the directional travel to be controlled closelyaccording to the general intentions of the sherman, using the iishingline from a moving vessel or during trolling from a stationary locationby pulling the line in.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved kitein conjunction with a fishing line designed for controlling thedirectional travel as to depth and lateral movement.

Other objects of the invention will be disclosed as it is more fullydescribed.

(Cl. L3-43.13)

For a clearer understanding of the invention, its objects and theprinciples thereof, reference is made to the drawings attached herewith.These drawings in conjunction with the following description outline aparticular form of the invention by way of example, while the claimsindicate the scope of the invention,

Referring to the drawings: y

Figure 1 is a plan view of a kite or sail em. bodying this invention;and A' Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1. p

Similar reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout thedrawings.

In the particular form shown, a kite I0 consists of an arcuately bentplate having three side edges II, I2 andv I3 respectively arranged inrectangular contour, the remaining portion of the periphery is cut onlappreciable arcs I5 and 25, tapering to a rounded point I4. The upperportion of the plate is concaved and the underside of the plate IB isconvexed and provided with semi-circular loops that form anchoringpoints to enable parts of a shing line 20, the hook line 2| VYand asinker 22 with its link 23, to be coupled thereto. The loops arenumbered individually to identify them in their different locations.Thus those along and adjacent to the edge I, are numbered from left toright, I I I, I I2, IIS, Ill. and I I5 respectively. Those along theedge I2, are |2|, |22, |23` |24 and |25. Thosel adjacent to the edge I3are |3I, |32, |33, |34 and |35. A line of loops aligned with theproximate longitudinal axis of the plate are indicated at |4|, M2, |43,IM and |45. Other loops in other parts of the field are at |5I and |52.The method oi attaching the lines depends on the results desired. If forins tance, it is desired to have the hook pulled in a direction alignedwith the axis of the vessel on which the fishermanis located, the pointof attachment of the fishing line 20 is preferably at I|3 and the hookline 2| at |45 both on the kite axis. line will pull rthe kite directlyin alignment with the boat. It is of course assumed that the boat orvessel is running in a definite and straight direction. The kite andline will follow a course that is straight and near the surface of thewater. If a fish bites on the hook 2| it will pull the pointIll'downwardly and the rectangular edge will rise. The water pressingagainst the convex side of the kite in this position will tilt it sothat its tendency will induce it to rise to the surface and pull thefish with it. If the fishing line 20 is attached to the loop and thehook to ||5 or preferably with a sinker weight 22 attached to loop |32,the kite will be tilted singularly In these positions the towards itsside. This will induce the kite to swing off in an arc to the left ofthe extended axis line of the boat. In this position, sh following thehook lwill not be visually disturbed by the boat, as it will be out ofits line of vision. The speed of the boat will determine the amount ofarcuate swing taken by the kite. In these instances it is assumed thatthe kite is made of material such as metal that is of greater specificgravity than that f the water. Other positions taken by the kite willdepend on the speed of the line pulling the kite, where the attachmentis made by the fishing line, where the hook line is attached and whereand how much the sinker weight is. In general, the pulling on one sideand the weighting on the opposite would make the kite yaw over to theweighted side. If the pulling line is attached at or near the axis line,the tendency to yaw becomes less and the arcuate swing is at a smallerangle to the axis.

If the kite is of a type or material that Will make its general specicgravity less than that of the water in which it is oated, the actionwill be modied by the tendency to oat against the pull of the weight orsinker 22, by the speed it is pulled through the water and by the otherreactions induced by travel through the water. This type is employed forconditions that make it desirable.

It should also be noted that the lateral tilt of the first mentionedtype of kite has a tendency to cut through any weeds that it may contactduring its travel. Also if several fisherman having different lines andare iishing from the same boat, they can adjust their kites to takedifferent directions and depths from each other, and thereby prevententangling of their lines. This cannot be accomplished with conventionallines and kites. Without going into the details of all the adjustmentsand combinations possible with the kite embodying this invention, it canbe noted that most of its reactions may be gured out and its useanticipated ahead of time.

The curved kite will go to the side of itself, and the amount of thismovement is controllable by the cooperative use of a sinker of suitableweight and method of attachment and the speed used in trolling.

The term loops is intended to be broad enough to include not only thebent formations made in the plate and shown in the drawings, but alsoany small mechanical attachment suitable for the line, sinker or hookline to be connected to the plate, at the locations indicated. The termyaw is intended to include the tendency of the plate or kite to swing ina lateral direction as it is pulled through the water, and trolling isthe term used for designating the directional pulling of the linesthrough the water.

The movement of the kite can be varied in the water' to create a dragline by placing the line for example on loop |52. When the line ispulled on it causes the kite to assume a semivertical position in thewater and will rotate in a circular manner. The diameter of the circulartravel is controlled by the placement of the various loops in apredetermined relation to the transverse and longitudinal axis as wellas the radius used for the kite.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification, it is not desired to limit thisapplication for patent to this particular form.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is:

1. A kite for a shing line, comprising an arcuate plate having aplurality of loops provided thereon for the attachment of a shing lineand a hook line thereto selectively, said loops being arranged along thelongitudinal axis of said plate and along the lateral edges thereof therespective positions of attachment of each being arranged to tilt thekite predeterminedly and control its direction of travel through waterthat the line may be trolled through.

2. A kite for a fishing line including a plate formed with three sideshaving edges of substantially rectangular contour leading to a fourthedge tapered towards a point, said plate being formed with loops atplural locations bothv along the longitudinal axis of said plate and atpoints. offset therefrom for the attachment of said` fishing line, asinker and a hook line, permitting their placement in combinations ofselective character tending to tilt the plate at predetermined angles inthe water through which the shing line may be trolled and therebycontrol the direction of movement thereof as to depth and. yaw.

3. A kite for a fishing line comprising a multisided plate having aplurality of loops provided thereon for the selective attachment of saidshing line and a hook line thereto, said loops comprising a seriesaligned along the medial axis of the plate, another series aligned alongthe edges of the plate, and a further series located between said firstand second mentioned series, the respective positions of attachment ofthe lines being arranged to tilt the kite in a predetermined manner andto control its direction of travel in the water in which the lines aretrolled.

4. A kite for fishing comprising a plate having a plurality of loopsstruck from one surface thereof, said loops constituting a seriesaligned along the medial axis of the plate, another series aligned alongthe edges of the plate, and a third series located between said rst andsecond mentioned series, said loops being arranged for the selectiveattachment of a fish line, a hook line, and a sinker for controlling andpredetermining the movement of the kite when trolled through a body ofwater.

HERBERT L. GROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordy in thele ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Niunber Name Date 813,718 Knowles Feb. 27, 1906900,139 Welch et al Oct. 6, 1908 2,214,409 Eaby Sept. 10, 1940 2,229,292Heiner Jan. 21, 1941v 2,251,593 Mangle Aug. 5, 1941 2,497,188 SchindlerFeb. 14, 1950

